Devon Cahill of Letter to Memphis on Music Style | Teen Ink

Devon Cahill of Letter to Memphis on Music Style

June 29, 2015
By SaraElizabeth PLATINUM, St. Charles, Missouri
SaraElizabeth PLATINUM, St. Charles, Missouri
24 articles 1 photo 2 comments

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With an eccentric mixture of folk, blues, and indie rock, it is no surprise that vocalist Devon Cahill refers to her band’s music style as “Indie folk with soul.” Starting as part of a duo covering songs in a living room to becoming a regionally known band, Cahill had much to say about the origins and influences of her music. She describes the content of her lyrics to be “heavy and deep,” yet “inspiring and uplifting,” a theme that reflects the hardships and emotions that have occurred in her life. Before the formation of her band, Cahill had a theatre background, but felt as if she had lost her way. She met Gene Starks and said that the two inspired one another. “After coming together, we lifted each other up” Cahill said. The two work together on music, usually with Cahill focusing on lyrics and Starks writing the chords. Cahill attests that roots are a part of her music, and when questioned about the nature of her unique style, she said that “It’s kind of like our brand and where our heart is.” Occasionally, the band receives criticism for the eclectic nature of their music, but Cahill contradicts this claim, saying that her music is a representation of who the band is. Influence on the band’s music came from Cahill’s childhood as well. The vocalist grew up with an array of musical influences. Her father was in a band, and her mother was involved in musical theatre. In high school, she enjoyed listening to new wave bands such as Joy Division and The Smiths, and her first favorite band was the Cardigans. Aside from other music and past experiences, there are other influences on the band’s style of music. “I feel inspired by a lot of things,” said Cahill, “nature, love, past relationships.” Of all of her songs, Cahill said that “Rest Your Head” was her favorite. “ Its very sweet. Its like a lullaby.” When playing the song, Cahill took on a sense of serenity. She often closed her eyes as she swayed to the melody, strumming gently on her ukelele. Another song of significance to Cahill is titled “Other Life”. “Its special to me,” she said, describing it as the release that brought her out of desperation. In regards to her musical outreach, Cahill said she hopes that her music is found to be inspiring by her audience. “I hope that it does the same thing for them as it does for me” she said.



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